A 'drill' music manager has defended youths featured in a music video shot in Coventry which has been trashed for glamorising violence.

CoventryLive spoke to the manager of some of the boys in one of the YouTube videos shot around Henley Green after they sparked debate about violence in the city.

Drill music is a type of hip hop characterised by its distinctive so-called trap-style beat and ominous sounds.

Music videos posted online often feature hooded and masked gangs threatening each other, with lyrics about drugs, guns and stabbing rivals with knives.

Coventry Police has already said it is holding a meeting to discuss how to tackle youth and gang violence in the city with Cllr Ed Ruane next week, and shares his "concerns" that the videos "glamorise violence and crime".

But the manager insisted the kids in the video "haven't done anything wrong" and are trying to express themselves while making opportunities for success as entrepreneurs.

Originally from London, he currently lives in Coventry but says he is planning to move back to the capital because "no-ones focusing on the future of the youths".

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'School kids trying to make a career'

The video with the youngsters he represents were shot around Henley Green and include lyrics such as: "leave him in stitches, lying in ditches, hold up where's my witness" and "watch how the way we bang, just watch how we grip it".

He said one of the artists had been "intimidated" into taking one of the music videos off YouTube.

"He got intimidated to take it down," he said. "What type of message does that send to these kids?"

"This is the kids first release, it got released in July, and for a first release they have done quite well," he added.

"Some of them have even come to me asking me if they should carry on, should I start wearing balaclavas.

"I don't want them to go down that avenue. They haven't done anything wrong."

He added: "They're school kids just trying to make a career."

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'Lack of opportunities'

Cllr Ed Ruane, previously cabinet member for young people at Coventry City Council, previously told CoventryLive the videos "glamorised" crime.

He said: "These kids aren't just rapping about it [violence], they are living it. That's reality. That's why we're seeing a rise in knife and gun crime."

He also added: "It isn't the music itself on its own that I have a problem with...but it's definitely a technique of using young kids, who look up to their older peers, of grooming them into criminal activity."

But the manager said he disagreed with that "100 per cent".

He told CoventryLive: "After reading the whole comment [from Cllr Ed Ruane] the key element says they [the youngsters in the video] are living what they are saying. I 100 per cent disagree on that.

"I'm just trying to stop them from engaging in that kind of lifestyle.

"Due to the lack of opportunities for the youths that I have seen in Coventry, they would have got to a stage where they see you have got 13-year-olds making money through YouTube. When you have kids outside of a metropolitan area being successful then others want to do it.

"Why not just do it in a way where you are not getting into trouble and you can earn some money while you're at school?"

He added: "The grooming bit - as much as I can understand the context of how it was said, that isn't the case these days.

"From these kids, I have actually talked to them about the article, why do they feel they have to do music? Some of them are into football and I've been trying to help them get into academies. There's none in the area at all.

"They are just being told to do their school work but the likes of entrepreneurship and career paths isn't being pushed on them. "

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'No trouble in Coventry'

Coventry Police has said it is concerned the videos glamorise violence and officers are worried about the "impact this has on young people" in the city.

The force said it had already removed two drill music videos from the internet - and was continuing to monitor social media.

But the manager insists he has "seen no trouble in Coventry".

"It's more organised crime happening with people over 35+," he said.

He added: "I have never seen much crime unless it is from elders. In terms of youngsters I haven't seen anything. Everyone keeps themselves to themselves."

He added: "I have lived in Coventry for six or seven years. I haven't seen no change out of central Coventry.

"There's communities where there's no work being done. If there is work being done it is for property developers building on cheap land, no-ones focusing on the future of the youths."

Taking genre too seriously

"There are bad aspects of it [drill music] but a little bit of research needs to be done.

He added: "It's just unfortunate that some people have taken the genre seriously."

He added: "They [the youths in the videos] listen to social media, they listen to music on YouTube and unfortunately just drill has come under fire. However these are kids that are trying to change."